


Strum

by Ace_From_Outer_Space, Nothing_You_Can_Prove



Series: The Last of Us [2]
Category: The Last of Us, The Last of Us 2 - Fandom
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Romance, gay af, minor TLOU 2 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:54:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24840400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ace_From_Outer_Space/pseuds/Ace_From_Outer_Space, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nothing_You_Can_Prove/pseuds/Nothing_You_Can_Prove
Summary: A while back, Ellie promised Dina she would teach her how to play the guitar. Everyone's got to start somewhere.
Relationships: Dina/Ellie (The Last of Us)
Series: The Last of Us [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1800034
Comments: 2
Kudos: 188





	Strum

**Author's Note:**

> Well, now I’ve finished playing TLOU2, time for some fluff cuz ooof need that. Just a short one for now.

“What a fucking day,” Ellie muttered as she flopped onto her bed. 

Everything hurt. Her brain was a haze and her eyelids felt heavy. There were several leaks in one of their storehouses after last night’s storm. She spent the entire day with Jesse moving supplies and fixing shit. Hard work. Honestly, she’d take fighting infected over that any day. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted her guitar. She’d been so distracted with… everything else, she’d neglected playing. 

Cracking her knuckles, she picked the guitar and brought it over to the bed. After a quick re-tune; it sounded awful on the first strum; she started playing. She hummed along, switching from song to song.

“Hey.”

Ellie didn’t need to look; she already knew who was there. The only person, aside from Joel, who would dare come into this room unannounced.

“Hey yourself.” She moved her guitar to the floor. “Did the patrol go okay?”

“More or less. Some infected but,” Dina shrugged, “they weren’t a problem for long.”

Ellie grinned at her nonchalant tone. “That’s my girl.”

“How was the big move and fix?”

“Ugh, don’t even ask.” Ellie looked at her calloused hands. “I got like five splinters... and Jesse almost dropped a crate on my foot. Twice.”

“Sounds fun.”

“You have nooooo idea.”

“I wish they’d send us out together more,” Dina sighed, walking across the room.

“They’re probably worried we wouldn’t get anything done.”

“Oh, we’d get _plenty_ done. Just…” Dina raised an eyebrow, smirking, “not what we set out for.”

“Aaaand that’s why they should be worried. I mean, day after the dance is a prime example.”

“Touche, but I never heard you complaining.”

Smiling, Ellie stood and pulled Dina into a hug. She nuzzled into her neck, sighing contently.

“Mmm.” Ellie’s face scrunched up. “Smells like hot garbage again.”

“It is my signature perfume, after all,” Dina chuckled. “You should try it sometime.”

Ellie pulled back enough to see her. “What do I smell like, then?”

“Wet dog.” Dina rubbed her face on Ellie’s cheek. “Now hot garbage too.”

“Gross.”

“Says the girl covered in blood and guts like ninety percent of her day.” Dina glanced over at the guitar propped against their bed. “You’ve been practicing?”

“Yeah,” Ellie rubbed the back of her neck, “while I’ve got some time.”

“I guess you’ve usually got your hands full with looting and shooting…” Dina grinned mischievously, “...or me.”

Dozens of smooth quips rushed through Ellie’s mind, all disappearing when Dina’s eyes locked onto hers. Man, she really loved her. Such a dork.

“Soooooo,” Dina’s fingers brushed against the guitar’s headstock, “you got some time?”

“For… what?”

“You said you’d teach me how to play,” Dina reminded her. “Why, what did you think I meant?”

Dina sure did love to mess with Ellie… and did it flawlessly. Ellie didn’t mind. She always had time for Dina.

“Nothing. Yeah, sure, I got time.”

Ellie shuffled back on the bed, moving her legs out and patting the newly made space. Shaking her head, Dina grabbed the guitar and sat down too. Once comfortable, Ellie rested her chin on Dina’s shoulder, ready to teach.

“Okay. Put that finger there. And that one there.” She guided Dina’s fingers to the right positions. E minor. “Now, press down and…” she pulled their hands down the strings, “...strum.”

The sound was clean, no dud notes. Good.

“Huh,” Dina leaned back into Ellie, “guess I’m a natural.”

“Joel laughed when I said something like that before.” Ellie weaved her fingers in and out of Dina’s. “Beginner’s hubris.”

“And now look at you. A verified pro.”

“I’m…” Ellie laughed softly, “hardly a pro. Joel told me about musicians who did insane shit, like lighting their guitars on fire while playing. Pretty badass.”

“Well, you know what to practice next.” Dina strummed the chord again. ”Gotta impress the groupies.” 

“So, they’re not impressed already?”

“This one is.” Dina looked up at her, voice soft and filled with adoration. “All the time.”

“You are…” Ellie glanced away, a blush forming, “so embarrassing sometimes.”

“Oh, come on.” Dina nudged her ribs. “There’s nobody else here. I get to be cheesy. Teach me another one.”

Ellie moved Dina’s index finger, placing it on the first fret of the B string, and her ring finger on the G string’s second fret. 

“Keep your other finger where it is. Same as before.” Fingers gliding over the strings, Dina played an A minor chord. “See, easy.”

“It helps to have a cute teacher.” Dina changed between the two chords until she got a semi-smooth transition, then patted Ellie’s leg. “Hey. Before I forget, I got you something. Found it while I was out a few patrols back.”

“And you’re only just giving it to me now?”

“Yup.”

“Hmm,” Ellie moved the guitar to one side, then stroked her chin, “let me guess. Is it… a dinosaur?”

“No, silly.” Dina laughed. “Where would I find one of those anyway?”

“Science museum. Joel, uh… found one before. It had some space stuff too. I got to wear an actual space helmet. Oh, and I climbed a motherfucking _dinosaur_ , like a boss.”

To this day, that trip was one of the best presents ever.

“Well,” Dina played with Ellie’s hands, “now my gift feels a little lackluster.”

“Come on,” Ellie pleaded. “Show meeeee.”

As much as she tried to hide it, Dina smiled. “Say please and I’ll think about it.”

Sighing, Ellie assumed her best puppy dog eyes and clapped her hands together. “Please, oh gracious and beautiful Goddess Dina.”

“Flatterer. How can I say no to that face?”

“Uh, you do. All the time.”

“Only when it’s a really stupid idea.”

Dina gently flicked Ellie’s forehead. Eyes narrowing, Ellie grabbed a nearby pillow… only to get one right in the face.

“Gotta be quicker than that, El.”

Still smiling, Dina dug around in her pack until she found the gift. She held out a rainbow guitar strap, covered in dinosaur and space pins.

“I saw this and thought of you. Figured it’d be useful.” She fiddled with one of the pins. “Guess I kind of got you a dinosaur, huh.”

“Shit, Dina. Where did you find this?”

“The strap came from a music store. The pins, well, those were a little harder but-”

Ellie kissed her, stopping the rambling sentence. When she pulled away, she gently bumped Dina’s forehead.

“It’s perfect, thank you.”

“Glad you like it. You should try it.”

With some reluctance - she did like being close to Dina - Ellie pulled back and attached the strap to her guitar. She slung it over her shoulder, fiddling with some of the pins.

“How do I look?”

“Adorable,” Dina replied.

Ellie’s shoulders slumped, pouting. “Rockstars are supposed to look cool and sexy.”

“Not this one.” Dina held up her hands, laughing at Ellie’s death glare. “Hey, hey, I’m kidding. How about you play me something, rockstar?”

Nodding, Ellie wiggled her fingers, then let them settle on the strings. She’d played a few songs for Dina, but never this one.

_“If I ever were to lose you, I’d surely lose myself. Everything I have found here, I’ve not found by myself. Try and sometimes you’ll succeed, to make this man of me. All my stolen missing parts, I’ve no need for anymore. ‘Cause I believe. And I believe ‘cause I can see. Our future days, days of you and me.”_

There was silence, long after the string vibration faded away.

“I’ve not heard you play that one before.”

“Joel played it for me, right before he gave me this guitar.” Ellie put the guitar back on the floor. “God, I spent forever trying to learn it.”

“You’ve always been stubborn.”

“Says you!”

Dina sighed, resting her head on Ellie’s shoulder. “I wouldn’t change that about you. Or anything.”

“What,” Ellie put an arm around her, kissing the top of her head, “not even talking in my sleep?”

“Hmmm, I’m used to it by now. And you do say some… interesting things.”

“Uh, like what?” Dina smiled, making Ellie worry more. “Dina.”

“Nope. My secret.” Dina leaned over to kiss her. “Thanks for the song, babe.”

“One day, I’ll write one for you.”

Ellie had already tried, several times. Nothing she came up with did Dina justice. Ever. She wasn’t going to give up, though.

“An Ellie original for little old me? I’m flattered.”

"Yeah, well, you haven't heard it yet."

"Whatever it is, I'll love it."

That made Ellie grin. “Even if it’s about that time when you-”

Before she could finish, Dina squished her cheeks together. “If that makes it into the song, you will be in soooooo much trouble. Not the good kind,” she took Ellie’s chin, hovering inches from her face, “got it?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“I look forward to what you come up with.” Pressing another kiss to her lips and then her cheek, Dina pulled them both back and snuggled up, her eyes closing. “Maybe I can return the favor someday… or a duet… maybe both...”

Within minutes, Dina was asleep. She always tried so hard to keep upbeat in front of everyone, worked hard. Ellie had seen another side, the girl who was just as exhausted and scared as she was. They would be even more scared if they were alone. She tucked loose strands of hair behind Dina’s ear, then kissed her cheek.

“Yeah, I’d like that.”


End file.
